Accent is a peculiar and unique way of reproducing sounds in a foreign language, which is caused by a different pronunciation system in the native language of the speaker. One part of the IELTS exam is Speaking, where you demonstrate the ability to express your thoughts in English verbally. On its official website, the IELTS developer suggests that the majority of those who pass the test speak with an accent. Does emphasis on a point affect Speaking? And is it worth it to spend precious time and effort on its “smoothing”?

how exactly the emphasis affects the assessment in the part of Speaking;

what factors determine the presence of a strong or weak accent;

and what is the difference in emphasis for getting a score of 6.0 and 8.0.

Do you want to get a preliminary point in speaking with test criteria and what specific skills do you need to improve to get the desired score? Sign up for a lesson by phone or on the site. We will help you to take a quality step towards your goals.

You can find out the nearest exam dates and details about group courses at the administrator or on the page IELTS Preparation.

This is due to the fact that by 2022 a fifth of local companies will require a master's degree in hiring. This trend is observed all over the world: growing competitiveness in the labor market, a cardinal change in the requirements for professional skills. The emergence of new professions and functions requires continuous updating and deepening of previously acquired knowledge and skills. In this article we will tell you how the master's degree will help you in the future, and whether investments in postgraduate education will pay off.

The desire of people to graduate is due to a number of reasons. A clear picture on this issue is given by the British Study of the Experience in Obtaining a Higher Education, or PTESThe Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey) The study is conducted annually from 2009 from February to June. In 2019, 71 students from 043 educational institutions participated in PTES. Along with other questions, PTES contains an analysis of the reasons that prompted graduate students to receive a degree.

The main motives for obtaining postgraduate education are related to the expansion of professional opportunities.

Employers appreciate a master’s degree, especially if they have an international degree. Although a diploma does not guarantee employment immediately after graduation, British labor market statistics among university graduates (Graduate Labor Market Statistics) came to an important conclusion. Masters are more likely to occupy a high position in the desired company, as they possess key skills and knowledge that are not acquired in undergraduate programs. In 2018, 71.6% of young masters under 30 years of age got a highly qualified job, while among young bachelors there were only 57% of them. Students who have received additional master's education abroad are distinguished by developed critical thinking, cross-cultural communication skills, professional knowledge of a foreign language (English) and an innovative approach to work thanks to an interactive format and a project-based approach to training.

Among the respondents, 24% noted that master's education is necessary to meet the requirements of the desired position. For some professions, for example, in the field of healthcare or jurisprudence, a master's degree is required when applying for a job. Even in other professions, it is necessary to constantly acquire new skills and develop existing ones to match changes in the professional industry. During the competitive selection for an HR specialist, a master’s diploma can be a decisive advantage for hiring other things being equal with other applicants.

If you already work in the industry that interests you, a master's degree will allow you to gain practical experience, borrow good practices and update a set of flexible skills. The active use of design work within the framework of the course, including at enterprises and the solution of real cases, have become an indispensable standard in the organization of training on master's programs. In addition to directly fixing the theory in practice, this approach contributes to the development of flexible skills. These include teamwork, intercultural communication, teamwork, project management and many others. Many companies, realizing the value of obtaining such an education, provide financially motivated students with financial support in tuition fees in the form of sponsorship. These include financial companies Grupo Santander, Microsoft, Toyota Motor and others.

Considering the value of obtaining an additional master's degree, the question arises: how to pay for graduate studies if there is no sponsor, and how justified are the investments in additional education?

Postgraduate educational programs depend on the country, the type of university (private or public) and university ranking. Foreign students pay more tuition for local students, but scholarship programs and grants also exist for the most motivated students. This type of financing can cover up to 100% of the cost of training and accommodation. Consider the average cost of a master's program for foreign students per year of study in several countries (Source: FindAMasters.Com и TopUniversities.Com):

Australia - 23 USD

Great Britain - 24 000 USD

Germany - from 1 000 to 37 000 USD

Canada - 14 USD

USA - 35 000 USD

In addition to tuition fees, the additional costs of a prospective graduate student include language tests, student visa fees, travel expenses, living expenses, and the purchase of study books. Obviously, you want to know how soon your investment will pay off. To do this, we turn to the data on the average wage for candidates with a master's degree. Consider the United States and Canada as two popular destinations for post-graduate immigration.

USA

This country has no equal in the quality of higher education. In America, 70% of universities from the list of the top 25 best universities in the world are located. The most popular areas of study for international students, according to the Institute of International Education (Institute of International Education) are Business and Management, Engineering and Mathematics and Computer Science. The so-called STEM degrees (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). By the way, international graduates of STEM programs receive permission for three years of work in the specialty (OPT) without the need to obtain a work visa, while all other students are only one.

On average, wages in such areas fell by 1.5% compared to 2019. Refer to the data of the statistical offices of countries to always be aware of the latest changes in the labor market.

Canada

There are approximately 250 universities in Canada, most of which are state-owned. The list of the best universities in the world includes 26 universities. According to Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada) Among the popular master's programs for international students, Business, Management and Administration, Architecture, Engineering and related fields, Humanities. According to company data PayscaleThe expected salary level is as follows:

Human Resources - CAD 52

Marketers - CAD 58

Architect / Designer - CAD 44 000-62 000

Mechanics - CAD 57 000

Given the different living standards in the US and Canada, a master's degree will pay for itself after about six months of work. That is, in two years of work you can earn three, or even four times more than you invested.

But do not think that a master's degree will automatically open before you the possibilities of the labor market. To be sure that the completed higher education suits you and is worth the effort and money to be invested, you must:

Be passionate about what you are learning;

View announcements of vacancies of interest right now, since in addition to the master's degree, you may need certificates of specialized courses or accreditation;

Study all the possible requirements of a future profession in the chosen country of study and the country where you plan to find a job. Make sure that a master’s degree will help you achieve your career goals;

Think about how valuable and new the knowledge of the master's program will be, whether it will help you move up the career ladder and get a promotion;

Always contact your employer, professional organization, or employer for more information.

Regularly study the labor market of the industry and country of interest, monitor the requirements of employers and changes in this area. Thus, you will have a clear picture of the necessary knowledge and skills that will allow you to choose the most suitable master's program. Get started now: contact our consultants to learn about scholarship programs for undergraduates and what career opportunities you will have with a Master of Arts, Science, Business Administration, Health and others.

What you need to do and what should not be done in preparation for the international exam

The beginning of spring gives people motivation for new achievements. It also includes the desire to supplement the work or study portfolio with a certificate of successful passing the international exam. It is for you, as well as for those who are waiting for the mandatory Russian state exam this year, we will briefly interrupt our series of posts on a “smart” approach to languages. We have prepared some tips that will help you effectively plan your preparation for the international exam and not lose the most important thing in the process - motivation.

So, you have decided, or have recommended, or even forced, to decorate the wall with a treasured piece of paper in a frame. Further actions seem understandable: to find an experienced teacher or a good study guide and follow all his recommendations. However, there are things that you are quite capable of doing on your own. They will help the specialist in working with you and will become a solid foundation for motivation to achieve a result. In other words, before you start preparing ...

NECESSARY

1. Determine the purpose

"I want the highest score!" - Needless to say, it sounds ambitious. To build on such an emotional impulse a long-term motivation to study is unlikely to succeed. Carefully study the requirements of organizations to which you will probably be able to provide your certificates. The vast majority of educational institutions or workers' companies clearly indicate the requirements for points. Be careful: many organizations require a certain number of points not only for the exam as a whole, but also for each section of the exam. By standard, it is reading, listening, speaking and writing.

2. Find out your current level of knowledge of the language

"Can I?" - a question that torments everyone in the first stages of preparation. Sometimes the question causes such a strong panic that some prefer to give up immediately. To dispel doubts, it is enough to know your current level of knowledge of the language. Figures are the best remedy for unreasonable experiences. Placement Tests, which are available online, as well as the help of an experienced teacher, will help you with this. It will help evaluate your speaking and writing skills, and you will receive the most objective assessment of your knowledge. You will be able to assess your position on the CEFR scale (Pan-European scale of language competencies), and find out on the official website of the exam:a) the minimum required language level for passing the exam on the CEFR scale;b) what is the approximate score with the current level of knowledge of the language you can get.

3. Determine the timing

At the previous stage, it will be quite clear how much time you need to get the desired result. However, you should talk about the main situations on which the duration of the preparation for the exam will depend. So, there may be several situations:

First: the current level is not enough to pass the exam. In this case, it is better to postpone testing until it meets at least the minimum requirements. Usually, to reach the next level on the CEFR scale, it takes from 8 to 12 months of training 2-3 times a week. So the deadlines for the exam will have to be postponed for about a year.

Situation two: the current level of knowledge of the language for the exam is enough, but to get the desired number of points is still not easy. Your task is to find a teacher. He maintains a curriculum in such a way that you simultaneously strengthen your general English skills and at the same time get acquainted with the strategy for exam assignments. An important role is played by teaching aids. For example, a series of textbooks Complete and Objective for the Cambridge exams. Such training lasts from 4 to 8 months, subject to active work at least 2 times a week.

Finally, the third, most positive situation: the current level is enough to get the desired score, and you successfully solve the test versions of the exam. But remember that the success of the test depends not only on knowledge of the language itself, but also on the possession of strategies for completing tasks. If you know how to correctly carry out tasks of various types, you save time and feel confident in your actions. Allocate from two or more months to bring the application of all strategies to automatism.

4. Familiarize yourself with the exam format

Many do it at the very beginning - download an approximate version of the test from the Internet and solve it in order to determine their initial level. And it seems quite logical, but ... It is too likely that even a confident student will get a low score. He will be so disappointed with the assessment that he will completely refuse to participate in the exam, although in fact the chances were good. In fact, the reason for the failure was the ignorance of the strategies that we mentioned above. If you do not know how to most effectively focus on different stages of listening, how to approach reading different types of text, you will make mistakes and spend more time on tasks. Solving trial versions of the test at an early stage only makes sense if the teacher has already explained to you how to work with the tasks. This will be another of the points of diagnosis of your level of training.

DO NOT DO IT

1. Trust advertising

International exams are a whole business. Hundreds of courses and thousands of study guides promise to prepare for delivery in the best way, but not all of them are honest with potential students. How to avoid cheating? There is no universal recipe, but there is one indicator that will tell you not the most conscientious people. This promise is to discover "secrets" and teach "life hacks" that are "inaccessible to mere mortals."

Firstly, the main task of the international exam is to provide advanced opportunities to students who already have sufficient knowledge. The selection of the “chosen ones”, who are fortunate enough to learn a certain “secret”, is unlikely to be beneficial.

Secondly, the set of exam strategies for most exams is exactly the same. The difference is only in the number and total complexity of tasks. Here they are:

The ability to read and listen to the text with an understanding of the main idea;

The ability to read and listen to the text with an understanding of the individual details;

Ability to see the logic of the construction of the text and monologic utterances;

The ability to build a logically coherent text and monologue;

The ability to understand and apply paraphrasing in written and spoken language;

Knowledge and application of vocabulary and grammatical constructions of a certain level of complexity.

And nothing more. Types of tasks are known to any competent teacher - the only difference is HOW he will teach you strategies.

2. Waste time on thoughtless cramming

"1000 words necessary for passing ...", "All grammar for ..." - such headings we see on the covers of manuals. It is these books that we set aside. Why?

Let's open the assessment criteria for the oral and written parts used by experts IELTS, TOEFL и Cambridge exams. They are available on official sites and it will be necessary to get acquainted with them in the preparation process. What do we see there? The criterion "Use a certain word and grammar" does not exist. However, there is such a basis for evaluation as “Uses words and grammar according to the task”, i.e. topic and situation. Therefore, mechanical memorization will not give you an understanding of when and in which combination it is worth using a certain word, phrase, or construction. You will only lose points if you use something out of place. An excellent solution to this issue will be Mental mapsthat we talked about in one of our past articles.

An exception to the rule is the Key Vocabulary List booklets (not for all levels) for Cambridge exams, which are available for download at the official website. Remember that they should not be treated as textbooks. Examine the list of words presented and check yourself: how many words you already know, and how many are still a problem. It will also be a good way to self-test.

We hope that with this article we at least dispel your doubts and add certainty to your plans. Good luck

Sports scholarships in US universities from $ 30 to $ 000 per year

Sports scholarship, or Sport scholarship, is a program of educational institutions in the United States, according to which students-athletes receive a scholarship based on sports and educational achievements. Funding is provided by a school or university for athletes who will subsequently play for the team of this educational institution.

The scholarship partially or fully covers the costs of:

Accommodation expenses

Education

Food

Sport activities

Sports scholarships can fully or partially, from 30% to 100%, cover the cost of training athletes. The amount of the scholarship depends on many factors, but above all, it is the student’s athletic level, i.e. at what level does the athlete perform, and his physical data. If you are applying for a full scholarship, then you must have the potential to become a professional in your sport in the future.

Scholarship money is not transferred to the student’s personal account. Sponsors transfer funds to the account of the educational institution, or the educational institution allocates money from its own scholarship fund. The amount is drawn up as an educational discount.

The sources and methods that schools use to fund students differ from the ways college and university finance are. The sports scholarship fund in schools is formed by attracting sponsors and funds that will help in further financing the training of athletes. Only the largest schools with the strongest sports programs are able to allocate funds for sports scholarships from their own budget. Typically, schools do not have enough funds to fully pay for the education of athletes and other students. For a foreign athlete, the cost of training without scholarships varies from $ 35 to $ 000 per year in a private high school in the United States, taking into account living expenses, food, sports expenses, etc.

Some schools are ready to fund the education of athletes in full, but only those who are interested in schools. However, schools cannot fully fund the training of the entire team. Every year there are 2-4 of the most talented players in full funding. The rest pay for school fees on their own with the provision of discounts.

Universities have a different system for the formation of a scholarship fund. Universities earn on their sports programs. They sell tickets for sports games and TV ads. Due to this, the university finances from 70% to 90% of the scholarship fund on its own. Such universities allocate up to $ 70 per year to pay for the educational program of one student athlete.

The reason for sponsoring training for student athletes is simple. Individual and team sports victories enhance the prestige of the institution. Although prestige is important for American universities, it is not only about sports victories. The fact is that universities earn a lot of money in sports. Promoting a team means increasing earnings, which means there will be more opportunities for the development of an educational institution. This improves the prestige of the university and the value of its education.

The size of the scholarship may also depend on the sport popular at the university. For example, all players in a basketball team receive a full scholarship at major universities in the US National Sports League. With football, the situation is different. The coach is provided with a limited amount of money for scholarships, which is not enough to pay for the training of all team players in full. The coach distributes the amount among the athletes according to their personal look. In one case, several students receive a full scholarship, while the rest will study without it. In another, the coach distributes finances among all players equally. Each case is individual.

A full sports scholarship can be obtained in almost any sport, but only if the coach is interested. It is also important to go to the right place at the right time. You may find yourself in a situation where the coach wants to give you a scholarship, but he has already run out of budget for the team. Accordingly, the coach does not have the opportunity to allocate funds for another person.

Where to start applicants for a scholarship:

If you are applying for a sports scholarship, follow these two steps. First, prepare an introductory package of documents for the educational program of the university. The university registers the list of documents on the official website (for more details, see our article. What documents are needed for entering abroad?). The second step will be to find a coach.

We recommend starting your search for a university and a trainer 1,5-2 years before the start date of your studies at a United States University. Find the name and surname of the head coach in the sport of interest. Most US educational institutions of this type place a separate “Sports” section on their websites.

The next step will be to prepare a letter of recommendation. In it indicate the name and surname, age, current educational class in high school, contact information, including email and fax. Also indicate the physical data (height and weight), the reason why you want a scholarship, and when you can start studying. In addition, attach video materials that demonstrate your athletic abilities and a short description of sports achievements of 1-2 pages, including awards and dates, to the letter.

Factors that affect scholarships:

Academic Achievements. Yes, academic achievement is important. For American coaches, it’s important that athletes learn “good” and “excellent.”

Sports achivments. Write dates and awards in the CV and attach a video presentation for trainers. It is advisable to mount the video in the form of Highlights - i.e. Cut the best gaming moments from training and sports.

Results of international tests of SAT or ACT and TOEFL. A language test and specialized subject tests are a prerequisite for foreign applicants.

Send this information to trainers at found email addresses. When you become a student of a desired university, maintain high academic performance in educational subjects. This will save the scholarship or apply for it if the scholarship was not given before admission.

It is important to start timely preparation to achieve the expected result, and we are ready to help you with this. At Global Ambassador, you will receive full support at all stages of admission and scholarships. Stages of working with our specialists from the Department of Education Abroad:

FREE consultation

COMPLETING the questionnaire for compiling a student profile (educational and work experience, skills and goals)

Mind Maps as a technology for effectively memorizing foreign words

We continue a series of articles on using the resources of our brain to the maximum and replenishing the vocabulary.

You met a foreign word, analyzed its structure (determined part of speech, compatibility, word-building forms, synonyms, etc.), studied examples of its use and introduced it into your oral and written speech. The teacher gave you a positive review: “Yes, so a native speaker would use this word.” What happens next ...

Ideally, the learned remains in your head forever. A word or phrase pops up in your memory effortlessly, and you use them almost as often as the simplest “hello” and “thank you”. This ideal outcome is rare. Often it turns out that the scope of the word does not belong to the category of everyday topics. Consequently, there is no chance at all to put the new knowledge into practice, and the economical memory wants to get rid of the unnecessary burden ... Or a more complicated situation: what is learned is necessary for the exam, and time is less and less. Is it really possible in this case not to use the good old lists of words for memorization?

Of course you can. But is a leaflet with a set of words in alphabetical order that you thoughtlessly run through your eyes so effective? Methodists and linguists have come up with many ways to work effectively with words. They connect our strong side of the brain - logical thinking. Today we will talk about one of these methods.

Mind Maps, or Mental Maps. This is a way of organizing words, which includes both the ability to combine information into groups (one of the highest cognitive functions) and the visual component. Maps are a scheme in which you break down words, phrases, or phrases into categories and subcategories. So you quickly capture the volume of the recorded. Along the way, you can use your eyes to highlight items by degree of importance (for example, the frequency of use in a certain professional field) for you. Thus, our logical thinking works, builds connections, and in the meantime we memorize more necessary material in less time.

Draw Mind Maps yourself or connect modern technology. For example, the MindMeister resource. At the click of a mouse, he will create convenient and neat schemes for you where you can add colors, pictures, and even emoji if you wish. These cards will be available day and night from your phone, tablet or computer.

Now let's look at ways to group words and choose the one that suits you.

If it comes to words that mean material objects, then everything is simple: remember what other things they are with every day. Distribute the furniture into rooms, clothes according to the part of the body on which it is worn, food to vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products.

Is it difficult to divide into groups words of the same subject? Connect a personal relationship: “like” and “dislike”, your favorite and least favorite character traits, hobbies and activities that you don’t like to perform ... Emotional significance will attract attention and allow you to remember words for a long time.

A common problem for those who are preparing for the exam with oral assignments: “I know that my speech sounds poor, but I can do nothing. Only the simplest words from a primary school program come to mind. ” Recognized yourself? Then make a Mind Map with the synonyms of the expressions you need. Let “hilarious” and “hysterical” be added to “funny”. Remember to include sample sentences using these words to take each to the place.

Mind Maps will help expand your vocabulary by combining nouns and verbs, adverbs or adjectives, which are often found in one topic. What actions do people perform with money? “Spend” (spend), “earn” (earn), “lend” (borrow), “borrow” (borrow), and much more.

Mental maps are used to improve grammar. Mind Maps is a way to repeat phrasal verbs that are a headache for English learners. Here are just to group combinations should not by verb, but by preposition. Yes, yes, because it is the pretext that affects the meaning to a greater extent. So, the category “up” with the value “whole, full” will include “dress up” (to dress), “eat up” (to finish) and “burn up” (to burn to the ground).

We wish you a successful use of mental maps for learning foreign languages.

Top 10 best universities in Canada

The number of students planning to enter universities outside their own country in search of quality education is growing every year. Canada remains one of the most attractive countries for international students. This is due to the loyalty of the migration policy, which allows many foreigners to stay to work and live in the country after graduation. The world university rankings help you choose the right university. Such ratings focus on academic research and the reputation of schools in general, rather than the bachelor's or master's programs they offer.

Today we offer you to get acquainted with the rating of the American media company US News & World Report. She evaluated universities based on their research performance and academic community ratings in North America and around the world.

No. 1. University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario)

The University of Toronto is a leading Canadian research and innovation institution. Researchers at this particular university own the discovery of insulin, groundbreaking stem cell research, and the invention of the electron microscope. Most of the foreign students here are from China, India and the USA, however, the general geography of students numbers more than 160 countries of the world. The University of Toronto offers about 700 undergraduate programs and over 200 master's and doctoral programs. In addition to medicine, the university has available areas of business, engineering, education and the humanities. In the list of 1000 student organizations and extracurricular activities, football and hockey are in first place.

No. 2. University of British Columbia (Vancouver, British Columbia)

State Research University is located in the Canadian province of British Columbia and has two campuses - in Vancouver and Okanagan. The percentage of international students at these campuses is 23 and 13 percent, respectively. International students who have difficulty with English can use the special Vantage One program. For 11 months, students improve their English skills at Vantage College, and then move on to the second year of their educational program at the University of British Columbia. Among the research centers of the university are the Canadian National Laboratory of Subatomic Physics TRIUMF, the Institute for a Healthy Lifestyle and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases.

No. 3. McGill University (Montreal, Quebec)

McGill University is the most prestigious state university in Canada, which annually opens its doors to students from more than 150 countries. McGill offers a lot of directions in the field of agricultural and environmental sciences, dentistry, education, engineering, law, management, medicine and other sciences. According to the ranking, Maclean McGill has been the best medical university for 13 consecutive years. Among the scientific achievements of the university is the creation of the first artificial blood cell. The university is located in the city of Montreal, which became the best student city in the opinion of the QS rating in 2017.

Number 4. McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario)

McMaster University - Hamilton State Research University on the US border. The geography of international students at this university is not as rich as at the University of Toronto, and has only 75 countries. McMaster offers students six major academic areas. Among them are engineering, medicine, humanities, science and social sciences and the DeGroote business school. McMaster University has its own nuclear reactor for scientific research, and in one of the laboratories of the university neuroscientist, a fifth of Albert Einstein’s brain is stored.

No. 5. University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta)

The University of Alberta is a 5-campus state research university. Four campuses are located in the city of Edmonton and offer students programs in the field of medicine, business and engineering. In one of them, on the campus of Saint-Jean, the main language of instruction is French. The fifth campus is located in the rural town of Camrose and specializes in the humanities and art. The university has signed over 400 research and educational exchange agreements with schools and organizations around the world. Among them are the University of Munich in Germany and the University of Western Australia.

No. 6. Université de Montréal (Montreal, Quebec)

Montreal State University has more than a dozen academic departments. The leading areas are social, humanitarian and medical sciences, as well as art and natural sciences. The main language of instruction at the university is French, but English-speaking students can accept for some postgraduate programs in biochemistry, pharmacology or neurology. Researchers at the University of Montreal organize international projects with institutions in France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA.

Number 7. University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta)

About 3000 students from 125 countries around the world study at Calgary State Research University. The university not only accepts foreign students, but also sends them to other countries through student exchange programs. The university has signed cooperation agreements with educational institutions in 140 countries. In 2007, the university opened an additional campus in Doha, Qatar, and in 2013-2014, the university received $ 325 million in revenue from sponsored research through the work of 77 research departments. Among universities under the age of 50, the University of Calgary currently ranks first in Canada.

Number 8. University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario)

Ottawa State Research University is the largest bilingual university in the world. The languages ​​of instruction here are English and French. The University of Ottawa offers over 450 programs in the fields of art, education, engineering, medicine, science, civil law, and Telfer School Management. The university offers both master's and postgraduate programs. The law school at the university is the largest in the country, and the employment rate of university graduates reaches 97 percent.

No. 9. University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario)

Waterloo State University is located near the Great Lakes and the US border. Three affiliated campuses are located in Ontario in the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Stratford. The main academic departments of the university include applied medical sciences, art, engineering, environmental science, mathematics and natural sciences. The university offers co-op education programs, which includes theoretical classes and practical hours for skills development. The university also offers double-degree programs with universities in other countries, such as China's Tsinghua University, Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University, or the UK's University of Warwick.

No. 10. University of Victoria (Victoria, British Columbia)

The State Research University is located almost in the center of Victoria near the Pacific Ocean. The location of the university is reflected in its research activities. The leading areas of research at Victoria University are the ocean, climate change, the development of a healthy society, and applied knowledge of the human environment. Over the past 10 years, income from international research grants at the university has tripled, including through research from observatories that help to learn more about the ocean and its inhabitants. In addition to science, the university has well-developed areas of political science and the arts.

Common App vs. Coalition Application. What is this and what is the difference?

Many of you have come across the process of entering Russian universities, filled out questionnaires at the admissions office, or sent them by mail to educational institutions. But do you know how such applications are processed abroad? Today we will tell you about the American system for applying for educational programs.

In the US, there are free centralized online platforms that allow you to apply to several universities at once. The most popular are the Common Application and Coalition Application. Both systems simplify the process of submitting documents to the university, as you can fill in important information such as contact information, extracurricular activities and grades only once. All that remains for you is to upload additional documents along with the application form and pay the entry fee for each university.

But if there are two platforms, then how to choose the right one? Let's look at the main differences between the two portals.

Common Application, or Common App, is the very first platform that was created 45 years ago. Then using the Common App you could send an application to 15 educational institutions, and in 2020 you can apply for nearly 800 colleges in the USA, Canada and some European countries.

In the Common App, you can submit up to 20 applications to different colleges.

The system is available to applicants every year from August 1, and the latest version of the platform allows you to save any information in your personal account, which eliminates the monotonous filling of the same type of questionnaire.

The Common App offers more topics for introductory essays. However, along with the Coalition App on the platform, there is an essay on a free topic.

In the Extra App Extracurricular Activities section, you need to list the 10 sections or clubs that you visit outside the curriculum, in order of importance to you. Coalition App requires you to specify only two sections and then add another 6 any that interest you.

In the Common App, you are required to provide information about the subjects of the curriculum only during the last academic year, the requirements of the Coalition App include information on all subjects and grades, starting from 9th or even 8th grade.

Due to the high popularity of the admissions platform, it will take much longer to get to your application if you have any questions or problems. In the period of the last days of the application, you may simply not have time to get an answer due to the load on the system.

Coalition Application is a relatively new platform that appeared 4 years ago. Through this platform, you can apply mainly to top colleges and universities, the total number of which is about 140.

Universities that host the Coalition App offer support to low-income students (scholarships, financial aid, and other types). You fill out an application on the Coalition App portal, and if it meets the requirements of the university, then it can approve financial support (the amount of support is approved by the university).

Coalition Application provides the ability to save all data for a long time. This option is great if your child is still in grade 9, but is already preparing to enter an American university. This platform extension allows you to store all essays, recommendations, videos and other files in unlimited quantities until they are received under password protection in a personal account.

Some popular schools only accept the Coalition App. Among them are Clemson University, Rutgers, the University of Georgia, the University of New Mexico, UT Austin, and Virginia Tech.

The Coalition App allows you to describe extracurricular activities, clubs, and sections in more detail than the Common App.

We advise you to browse your list of desired universities and colleges and choose the platform that most universities on your list use. If the university accepts applications from two portals, remember that the admissions committee has no preferences. All schools view the Common App and Coalition App applications the same way. Global Ambassador specialists can help you to determine which platform is needed for your chosen university or college, as well as help with filling out the questionnaires.

3 types of MBA. Business Education Abroad

If you work in business, but feel a lack of skills or qualifications, you should have an MBA. Programs of this format provide theoretical and practical knowledge to managers who plan to ensure the growth of their enterprises through improving the efficiency of business processes.

3 types of MBAs are distinguished in the world. They are significantly different from each other and are designed for completely different audiences. The wrong choice of the wrong format leads to the fact that you will not get the desired result and can not put the knowledge into practice.

The first type of program is MBA, or an MBA specializing in a particular topic. A great choice if you graduated from 2 to 5 years ago and are a young manager without managerial experience at the highest level. The objective of such programs is to provide a good theoretical basis without practicing enterprise-based practices. Extensive theoretical knowledge will help you make competent decisions in serious managerial positions in the future. The cost of a two-year MBA program is on average $ 60. For senior executives, such programs are not suitable.

The second type of program is Executive MBA (or Executive MBA with specialization). This type of program is suitable if you are already the owner, the top manager or personnel reserve and apply for the highest leadership position. You already have real experience and authority to immediately introduce changes to the activities of your enterprises. EMBA programs are the most prestigious and practical type of program. You will work out the studied material at your own enterprises, rather than abstract examples, and will often implement it immediately. Executive MBA is an integral diploma program, not an arbitrary set of different courses. There are no junior managers on such programs. The cost of a two-year EMBA program usually starts at $ 100.

The third type of program is MINI-MBA. Like the first type of MBA, these programs will suit you if you are a junior and middle manager. They are not suitable for top managers and owners. This is the fastest and most inexpensive program. If you are very busy or for financial reasons you cannot afford to immediately enter the EMBA program, then MINI-MBA is for you. After the end of the MINI-MBA program, graduates do not enter simple MBA programs of the first type. This is due to the fact that both programs cover approximately the same theoretical body of knowledge and are largely identical. The average cost of training on the MINI-MBA program is from 2 to 6 thousand dollars, depending on the specialization.

Entrance requirements for MBA programs are significantly higher than for undergraduate and graduate programs. Business schools require to confirm high knowledge of the English language and in subject areas with the results of language (TOEFL, IELTS) and specialized tests (GRE, GMAT). You will also need professional recommendations from the place of work, thematic essays and, possibly, additional documents from the place of work. You can find a complete list of requirements and other features of business programs from a Global Ambassador specialist for a free consultation.

How to learn English words and remember them forever?

So, we decided that logic is our ally in the difficult struggle with the difficulties of a foreign language. But how to use its capabilities at full capacity? Let's look at an example of learning new words.

Insufficient vocabulary is one of the main sources of stress for an adult student. For us, with our knowledge and experience, the difference between our mother tongue and a foreign language is too obvious: five minutes ago you discussed the most difficult philosophical concepts in Russian, and now you hardly ask your neighbor to give a pencil in English. “Something needs to be done with this!” You decide, and rush to make long lists or cut hundreds of vocabulary cards.

Well, this way is familiar ... but, alas, ineffective. This method will only limit your understanding of the word (the brain will remember a single version of the translation into Russian from a variety of meanings and shades), and the stress of mechanical memory will quickly exhaust you.

Remember that your forte is analytical thinking. You better remember the word if you recognize and analyze all the options for its use. How to do it? If you have been learning the language for some time and you are not afraid of English-English dictionaries, use them. I recommend to my students Cambridge dictionary, Macmillan dictionary и American Merriam Webster. Find the word of interest in the dictionary:

Find out what part of speech it refers to. This will save you most of the mistakes you make when using it. Many students confuse 'advice' and 'advise'. Knowing that the first is a noun and the second is a verb, it will be easy to avoid mistakes.

Find which words are most often found next to that word. Make an appointment or do an appointment? No more pains of choice!

Or maybe this word is part of the idiom? We remember completely and use in speech; a simple 'weather' will help you tell about the weather outside the window, while 'under the weather' will tell you very expressively that you are not feeling very well.

What words have synonyms and antonyms? This is also useful: you better understand the meaning of the word and avoid its constant repetition when talking on a related topic. It is especially useful when preparing for exams: a student who talks about his purchases using only 'things' will receive significantly less points than someone who knows the synonyms of 'items' and 'purchases'.

And finally, see examples of how the word is used in a sentence.

Done! You have learned all the information necessary for the correct use of the word. The next step is practice, the principle of which remains the same - no mechanical repetitions and translations of similar sentences. Make a short text yourself using the learned words, or record a small statement on a topic related to them on the recorder. Reread or re-listen, holding a dictionary article before your eyes, and then show the work to the teacher - he will professionally evaluate whether you were able to apply the acquired knowledge.

On this word can be considered learned! And about the methods of consolidating the studied, I will tell in the next article.

What documents are needed to go abroad?

You need to start preparing for admission to a foreign university at least a year in advance, and submit documents after the announcement of the start of admission. Such preparation will increase the chances of enrollment before quotas for students who come from other countries are chosen. You need to fill out a package of documents and upload it to the university’s website in your entrant’s personal account or on a single online service. Some universities may request that all documents be sent by registered mail or express delivery.

Here is what you need to apply:

Pay the registration fee for reviewing documents. In leading universities, such a contribution is up to $ 100 / euro. The selection committee considers documents only after the university receives the registration fee. You can pay by bank transfer or by credit card.

Fill out the application form on the university website. You will find it on the admissions office page or in the personal account of the applicant.

Issue and get a passport. If you already have a valid document, make sure that the passport does not expire before the expected graduation from the university.

Graduation certificate or school certificate and app with grades (transcript). If at the time of filing the documents you do not have an official document in hand, you must contact the university selection committee. In this case, universities are usually asked to send statements with grades for the last two (or more) semesters or quarters.

Take a foreign language exam and specialized examswho test subject and professional skills. These exams can be passed in Russia in one of the regional certified testing centers. For example, IELTS or TOEFL certificate may be required to prove English proficiency, DAF certificate in German. For admission to many master's programs, it is also necessary to pass specialized exams - GRE or GMAT, testing logical thinking, managerial abilities and subject knowledge (physics, literature, biology, etc.).

Write a CV (CV), which reflects your academic and professional experience and participation in extracurricular activities. This will confirm your leadership skills.

Write a motivation letter. The purpose of any letter is the opportunity to show their uniqueness. All other things being equal (paid registration fee, positive marks in the document on education, high language test result), the selection committee will choose you, so you should seriously consider writing it.

Write an essay on a given topic. In addition to the motivation letter, you may be asked to write a separate essay on the topic up to 1000 words. For instance:

If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you have and how would you use it?

List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community.

Please describe a choice for change that you have made in your life that has greatly affected your life or the lives of others.

Additional documents requested by the university, confirming your skills and professional experience in the chosen educational program (copies of certificates, publications, a brief description of the thesis, etc.).

To start collecting a package of documents for admission, contact the selection committee and make a complete list of the necessary documentation. A clear plan will help you navigate and correctly allocate time to complete all the points. Entrust translation of documents or writing an essay to professionals, then you will have more time to prepare for language and entrance exams. Global Ambassador specialists monthly translate hundreds of various documents (letters of recommendation and other letters, educational documents, financial documents and others) for introductory packages, dozens of consultations on writing and editing essays.

For more information, sign up to our specialists for a free consultation.

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